• 2,848 students awarded degrees across diverse disciplines
• Distinguished awards including President’s Gold Medal and Director’s Gold Medal conferred to meritorious students
Kanpur: The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) celebrated the culmination of academic journeys for 2,848 students at its 58th Convocation Ceremony, held on campus on June 23. The ceremony, a significant milestone in the lives of the students from diverse disciplines, was graced by Shri Sanjay Malhotra, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India and a distinguished alumnus of IIT Kanpur, as the Chief Guest. Dr. Mahesh Gupta, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT Kanpur, presided over the convocation, along with Prof. Manindra Agrawal, Director, IIT Kanpur. Held over two sessions, the convocation began with a grand gathering at the Main Auditorium, where high-achieving students received their medals and degrees in the presence of the institute’s leadership and the chief dignitary. The second session, conducted across various lecture halls, involved the formal conferring of degrees by departmental faculty, ensuring that every graduate was honoured and participated in the celebration.
Sanjay Malhotra, who completed his BTech in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Kanpur in 1989, reflected on his return to his alma mater with pride and humility. Addressing the graduating batch, he said, “It is a privilege to return to IIT Kanpur after 36 years. Walking through the same corridors, reflecting on memories with my batchmates from 1985, and seeing the brilliance of today’s students fills me with deep pride and nostalgia. To all the graduating students and awardees, my heartfelt congratulations. This moment marks not an end, but a beginning of a journey where learning must never stop. The world is changing faster than ever, and your adaptability, curiosity, and commitment will define your path. In my own journey, I’ve learned that trust and integrity are the cornerstones of leadership, and that hard work, is what truly shapes outcomes. Carry these values with you, and you will make not just your institute and country proud, but also yourselves.”
Prof. Manindra Agrawal, Director IIT Kanpur, congratulating the students said: “The technology space is undergoing an exciting transition, giving rise to great opportunities for new discoveries and applications of relevance to the world in general and India in particular. I am sure that with your abilities and training, you will have a significant role to play in this transition. I wish you all the best for your future endeavors. May you find success, joy, and prosperity in life. Stay in touch!”
Dr. Mahesh Gupta, Chairman of the Board of Governors, extended his best wishes to the students and encouraged them to uphold IIT Kanpur’s values of ethical leadership and lifelong learning.
This year’s graduating cohort included: 269 PhD recipients, 29 from the MTech-PhD Joint Degree Programme, 2 from the MDes-PhD Joint Degree, 2 from the MS (by Research)-PhD Joint Degree, 480 MTech graduates, 874 BTech, 204 BS, 194 MSc (2-year), 145 MBA, 20 MDes, 83 MS (by Research), 40 from PGPEX-VLFM, 26 Double Major, 93 Dual Degree, 26 MS-PD, and 361 students from the eMasters programme. Additionally, 192 students graduated with one minor, 90 with two minors, 30 with three minors, 3 with four minors, and one student with an exceptional five minors, highlighting the academic flexibility and interdisciplinary ecosystem at IIT Kanpur.
The institute’s highest academic honours were conferred during the ceremony. The President’s Gold Medal was awarded to Talin Gupta from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. The Director’s Gold Medal for the 4-year UG programme was presented to Dhruv Misra from the Department of Electrical Engineering, and the Director’s Gold Medal for the 5-year UG programme was awarded to Kalash Talati from the Department of Physics. The Ratan Swarup Memorial Prize was conferred upon Varun Tokas from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. The Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma Medal was awarded to Abhishek Kumar Yadav from the Department of Chemistry.
In addition to these top honours, twenty-one students were awarded the Outstanding PhD Thesis Award for their exceptional research contributions across departments including Aerospace Engineering, Biosciences and Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences, Economics, Environmental Science, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics.
Continuing its ceremonial tradition, the convocation followed a traditional dress code. Male students wore cream-coloured kurtas with white pyjamas, while female students donned cream kurtas with white churidars or leggings, or sarees. The dignified and understated attire reflected the solemnity and pride of the occasion.
The 58th Convocation stood as a celebration of not only academic excellence but also of values, community, and future leadership. As students stepped forward to receive their degrees, they carried with them not only the prestige of one of India’s foremost institutions but also the hopes of a nation looking toward its future innovators, thinkers, and changemakers.
